The Definitive Guide to Getting Organized

Including the two questions that will help you decide whether or not to keep the thing

For the past several months, I have been neck deep in getting our life organized. I’ve started tracking our finances (and found the passwords to all our accounts! 🎉), we’ve cleaned out and organized most of our house, and I’ve spent several weeks getting my digital spaces to the point where I can actually search and find what I’m looking for.

And, I know what you’re thinking: Kara, YOU? An organized person? Oh, honey, yes, yes, yes, me.

Weirdly, I am very Type A when it comes to this sort of thing. I don’t know if it’s because Spring Cleaning was my mom’s favorite season or it’s my ADHD, which makes it a necessity, but getting organized is on par with daily exercise when it comes to helping my life run smoothly.

So, I thought I’d put together the definitive guide to getting your house organized, Kara-style. (We can do a one for your digital life later, if you like this!)

(I’ve included photos that I took on a random Monday - no fixing anything up, just what we have going on - so you can see it works!)

First, why the heck should you take the time to get organized?

Getting organized can change the feel of your daily life. Seriously!

When I did my time tracking earlier this year, I noticed how much time I was spending putting things away and looking for things because our life was so chaotic.

Now that we know where things are and we actually have systems, EVERYONE can help! The kids know where things go so they put them back. Chris knows where things are so he’s not constantly asking me for help. I’m not having to spend my precious time hunting down ideas, forms, information.

I mean, my mom came over the other day and needed a form for our taxes, which I was able to find immediately, so I’m basically the Caitlin Clark of Home Organization.

👉 Simply put, it frees up a ton of time and energy. Plus, our house is so much easier, and faster, to clean with less stuff!

A Reminder: Be easy on yourself.

When we moved into our new house, we threw a lot of stuff into cupboards, the garage, everywhere, because we didn’t have the bandwidth to go through it then. We were doing what we could to get by!

Now, things have slowed down a bit in other areas and I have the time and energy to focus on this. I couldn’t before and THAT’S OKAY!

Also, before we had so much little kid stuff, Lordy be. That time of life is chaotic, no matter what, k? It will pass, pinkie swear.

There will come a day when you will no longer need a giant swing, high chair, and 5000 American doll dresses; it will be sad and also SO FREEING.

Do what you can, when you can. 👊🏼

👉 ALSO! If this all feels overwhelming, HIRE HELP!

If you’re in the Bay Area, my friend Lauren’s company, Next Highest Good, will not only get you organized, but give all your donations a good home. Or you can find a professional organizer in your area through NAPO, which is money well-spent.

Nuts and Bolts: How to actually do this thing!

1. Take everything out of whatever space you are cleaning out (Yes, EVERYTHING).

2. Wash out the space (this will make you feel accomplished because look how clean and pretty your drawer is!).

3. Put all like items together. This can look like all of your cans of beans in one place, all of your sweaters together, all of your kitchen utensils in one pile. This item is a MUST DO so you can see what you actually have and make decisions based on how many of each thing you actually want to keep.

4. Decide where you are going to store each type of item. We’re doing this so you don’t find yourself with 23 cans of beans (ahem, my husband) or 3 pairs of identical black pants (ahem, someone else) because you can’t remember what you have. If you put things in multiple places, there’s a good chance you’ll lose track.

5. Pick up each piece and, before you put it back in, ask yourself:

   • Is this worth the energy it takes to take care of it?

   • Would I rather have the space or do I really need / want this?

   (I find this is helpful for everything from kitchen utensils, to food I “hoped” the kids would eat, to clothes I think I might wear one day. Sometimes I do want a piece of clothing that I don’t wear all of the time because I love it and it gives me energy, but often I’d rather have the energetic space back.)

6. If it passes the test and you’re willing to take care of it, great - it’s a keeper! It can go back in the drawer / cabinet / closet.

7. Anything that doesn’t pass the test, gets recycled, donated, or thrown away.

Tips and Tricks, or things I learned the hard way

• Buy the good containers. One of things I did differently this round is I spent extra money on good containers. I bought clear (so I can see what’s in them), sturdy, and, most importantly, ones that actually fit the space. Buying for function over price has made a huge difference. (These Bright Room ones from Target have made all the difference!)

• Label everything. This way no one has any excuses for not knowing where things go. IT SAYS IT RIGHT THERE, KIDDO!

• Cool the guilt. I have a lot of guilt around getting rid of things, because I feel like I wasted money buying whatever it is. A few things that have helped with letting them go:

  1. Giving it directly to a specific person. If I know someone I like is going to be using it, it’s way easier to give it away. I can let go of dresses, books, kitchen items, if I know they’re going to a good home.
     

     This works with the kids too. We have specific friends that are a few years younger, who the kids LOVE giving their stuff to. (Obviously, we ask before we give it to them so they’re not just taking our junk!)

  2. Reminding myself I already spent the money so holding onto something that’s not serving me energetically or space-wise isn’t doing any good.

  3. Finding places to donate that either recycle or actually use what I give them.

• Remember, holding onto things is work. It means I have to look after it, maintain it, create space for it. Often, letting it go is the kindest thing I can do for myself and our family.

• Give yourself some time. If I really can’t decide if we should keep something or not (skinny jeans, I’m looking at you!), I put it in the garage for a month or so. If I haven’t thought about it or needed it in that time, I donate it.

• Put it away for awhile. I also am totally okay with boxing things up and putting them in the garage attic for awhile to see if I want it later.

  Things I’ve done this with are:

  • clothing I really like, but am sick of

  • lamps and home accessories that I can’t find a place for right now

  • boxes and items for organizing (I find that as the kids get older, we rotate some of it back in)

  • memorabilia that I can’t let go of now (usually in a year, I can’t even remember what it was)

  • work items that were expensive, but I no longer use

Getting organized has been a journey. I used to just rearrange everything, but truly creating space for each item has been a game changer. It has taken an enormous amount of time, but I feel like it’s an investment in our future life, not to be OVERLY DRAMATIC OR ANYTHING.

Seriously, though, it’s easier to clean, take care of, I know where things are, and I find it way less overwhelming.

Is it just me? Are you also on a Summer Cleaning kick? Anything you’d add to the list?

Here’s to space and letting go!